Personally, I think the penalty for tampering should be that you lose the money under the cap that the parties involved were signed for, or in this case about 30mill per year. This would be an extreme example (obviously), but in most cases you are talking about tampering at the MLE level, and that punishment seems appropriate.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.

When the tampering angle first started rolling I was thinking what of significance could the league do? Granted it is over the top and a PIPE DREAM but this is what I came up with; the Heat are striped of all of their draft picks for the next 5 years. The actual terms of the sign and trade are erased (although the contracts and the language within are allowed to stand). The Cavs and Raptors are awarded 'compensation' picks for the next 3-5 years (IOW, they'll own two firsts). This is where it gets real tricky and probably overboard; but for these compensation picks to even come close to having the effect that the tampering had on the teams, each of the compensation picks will be in the lottery (2 extra lottery picks). To determine where they will pick (you can't just outright screw the team with the worst record) each the Cavs and Raptors would have the same amount of ping-pong balls has the team with the 5th worst record, 10th worst record, somewhere around there.

"Strangers passing in the street, by chances two separate glances meet and I am you and what I see his me."

It would be hilarious if the NBA enacted their own version of the Death Penalty, it'll never happen, but can you imagine if it did. I envision something to the effect of the three banned from the league for 2 years, and the Heat being not allowed to play any games for 1 year. The Cavs, Raptors receiving compensation in the form of lottery picks.

so much for my fantasy and continuing on, it should be interesting to see how much leverage that Gilbert and Cuban would have. Are they generally respected in the league? And don't forget, The Russian and Dolan may not exactly be happy with this whole charade as well.

Swerb wrote:Go start a blog if you want to tell the world your incomprehendible ramblings.

Cerebral_DownTime wrote:I have a big arm and can throw the ball pretty damn far...... maybe even over those moutains. The Browns should sign me, i'll let you all in locker room to drink beer. Then we can all go out the parking lot to watch me do motorcycle stunts.

Maybe they can take away the first round picks they have remaining for the next 5 years and take away all mid level exemptions (and bi annual) they'll be eligible for for the next 5 years. Would be nice to see Riley have to add on to his super team year after year with only the vet min to work with.

Will never happen though. It'll probably end up being a pretty minor fine and a mean look from Stern.

aoxo1 wrote:There's not going to be anything. Cavs and Raptors aren't asking for a probe.

Don't you see that as moot though aoxo? Cavs and Raps know Stern is gonna conduct a probe (even if its under the radar) ... so they can afford to just sit back and wait for it to happen and take the high road outwardly.

"It's like dating a woman who hates you so much she will never break up with you, even if you burn down the house every single autumn." ~ Chuck Klosterman on Browns fans relationship with the Browns

aoxo1 wrote:There's not going to be anything. Cavs and Raptors aren't asking for a probe.

Don't you see that as moot though aoxo? Cavs and Raps know Stern is gonna conduct a probe (even if its under the radar) ... so they can afford to just sit back and wait for it to happen and take the high road outwardly.

Better chance of them just stripping them of the draft picks vs. giving them to Cleveland and Toronto, which would be fine with me, assuming a hard cap is put into place in the next CBA. I'm not sure I'm necessarily of the hard cap, by the way. I can't claim to know much about hockey's system; I was a casual observer who lost all interest after last lockout.

CP wrote:Better chance of them just stripping them of the draft picks vs. giving them to Cleveland and Toronto, which would be fine with me, assuming a hard cap is put into place in the next CBA. I'm not sure I'm necessarily of the hard cap, by the way. I can't claim to know much about hockey's system; I was a casual observer who lost all interest after last lockout.

When Riley left the Knicks for the Heat, there was a serious tampering allegation that resulted in $1m and a first round pick going to the Knicks.

I know more about pizza than you. Much more in fact. - Cerebral_DownTime

You know I was bumping around last night and can't remember if I saw this in a journalists' article or a just some internet poster, but...

Wasn't the timing of Lebron's announcement about retiring Jordan's number at the same time the Heat were in town? Incidentally if other teams are making the tampering accusation, does the league still blow it off because of the Cavs/Raptors S&T? I just mean common wisdom seemed to be the S&T negated either team's ability to push Stern, but the Mavs still can (just an example). Certainly NY writers might want to pounce as well.

at what point does this simply become "sour grapes"??? the cavs are gonna get 4 draft picks outta this debacle anyway, so why don't they just cut bait and move on??? i really don't see miami winning the title with these 3 bastards anyway and when (not if) wade and/or bosh get hurt, that will just make the cavs picks that much better. we can only hope. go cavs!!!

The notion of the NBA being a "player's league" isn't new. The younger owners (Cuban and Gilbert among them) have refitted their organizations around the premise of catering to players. Upgraded facilities, no-show jobs for the entourages, public statements to protect players in regards to officiating- these are all fairly new tactics made to placate players.

The young owners may now be feeling that the power has swung to the point that players are rigging the free agent game. The pool of NBA owners out for blood in the next CBA is growing. The players are in for an extended lockout, as the owners take out their frustrations.

aoxo1 wrote:There's not going to be anything. Cavs and Raptors aren't asking for a probe.

Don't you see that as moot though aoxo? Cavs and Raps know Stern is gonna conduct a probe (even if its under the radar) ... so they can afford to just sit back and wait for it to happen and take the high road outwardly.

Lazy by Stein, IMO. The obvious issue with this justification is that the Heat had no risk in creating said space. The Knicks, Bulls, Nets, etc. were clearing space, betting on the come, the Heat were playing with a stacked deck....aledgedly.

"At least the Scots didn't have to tune in with the rest of the country and watch their women get plowed by Longshanks and his men."~Commodore Perry on the difference between baseball's flawed economics : Indians :: prima nocta : Scots